Tex has cortisone shot in wrist, will miss two games

NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira and the Yankees were looking at a cortisone injection as a sort of magic bullet to cure the issues with the first baseman's surgically repaired right wrist, an option that they finally triggered on Saturday afternoon.

Unable to swing the bat without discomfort, Teixeira struck out and grounded out before being pinch-hit for in the sixth inning of the Yankees' 3-1 victory over the Twins. Teixeira will not play on Sunday or Monday, and he is hoping that the injection will allow him to get back on the field without further problems.

"If the shot doesn't work, then I'm worried," Teixeira said. "We'll go back to the drawing board, but hopefully the shot takes care of it."

Manager Joe Girardi approached Teixeira in the dugout after he swung weakly in a third-inning at-bat against Minnesota starter Kevin Correia. Teixeira told Girardi that he would continue playing defense until his spot in the batting order came up again, yielding to pinch-hitter Brian Roberts.

The Yankees had hoped that rest alone would manage the situation; Teixeira missed this week's three-game Cardinals series in St. Louis and was seen by a doctor on Thursday's off-day who confirmed that Teixeira was dealing with inflammation. He returned to action on Friday against the Twins, going 0-for-1 with three walks.

"It started from last night. I didn't really have that much relief," Teixeira said on Saturday. "I got through it last night because I walked three times, really. I only took two or three swings all night.

"Today, I didn't feel really good this morning. I didn't feel good in BP. We thought maybe it would loosen up, but it didn't. I basically got back to square one, unfortunately, with the soreness."

Teixeira's absence magnifies that the Yankees lack an experienced backup at first base -- and potentially could lead to their involvement in bidding for free agent Kendrys Morales, who would no longer have Draft compensation attached to his name after June 5.

The Yankees have been using Kelly Johnson, Brendan Ryan and Brian McCann in a haphazard rotation at first base. Francisco Cervelli and Carlos Beltran, both currently on the disabled list, have also been auditioned there this season, as has Scott Sizemore, who is with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

"I think that if it's going to be short term, you just use the options that you have," Girardi said. "Our feeling right now is that it's going to be short term. I don't think you want to rush to any judgments without giving it a few days to see where we're at. We'll stay status quo for now and make judgments as time goes on."